West Midlands-born MP Robert Jenrick defects to Reform after Tory sacking
Robert Jenrick has defected to Reform UK after being sacked from the Tory frontbench by Kemi Badenoch because of “irrefutable evidence that he was plotting” to jump ship in a “damaging” way.
Reform leader Nigel Farage said he would “buy Kemi lunch next week and say thank you”, as he confirmed Mr Jenrick was joining his party.
Mr Jenrick, who grew up in Shifnal and Ludlow and attended Wolverhampton Grammar School, was until today the Conservatives' shadow justice secretary.
“I’ve had to think very quickly as to how I should respond to this, and I just want to say thank you to Kemi Badenoch, this is the latest Christmas present I’ve ever had,” Mr Farage told a Thursday afternoon Westminster press conference.
“The negotiations with Jenrick are over. There’s nothing more to be said or to be done.
“You’ve handed me on a plate the man that is by far the most popular figure, 60 per cent approval rating on ConHome…
“You’ve perhaps today, really done anything more than anybody in history to help realign the centre-right of British politics, which is much needed against a dreadful Labour Government and increasingly worrying extreme left-wing voice in this country.
“So I can’t offer you drinks all round, but I’ll buy Kemi lunch next week and say thank you.
“And on that note, I will welcome Robert Jenrick into this room and into Reform UK.”
After an awkward delay, Newark MP Mr Jenrick appeared at the press conference and said: “It’s time for the truth. Britain has been in decline. Britain is in decline.”
Conservative leader Mrs Badenoch earlier said she had sacked Mr Jenrick from the shadow cabinet, removed the whip and suspended his party membership.
She said: “I was presented with clear, irrefutable evidence that he was plotting in secret to defect in a way designed to be as damaging as possible to his shadow cabinet colleagues and the wider Conservative Party.”
